


hook you with a brand new high

by montecarlos



Category: Motorcycling RPF
Genre: Family Drama, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:06:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24527350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/montecarlos/pseuds/montecarlos
Summary: “Luca’s hiding something from me,”Uccio looks up from his linguine in surprise. “What do you mean?”“He said he was with Balda earlier today, but he didn’t know that I’d seen him before I called him. Balda said he was with Migno,” Valentino says, glancing back at his phone. “Why would he lie?”
Relationships: Luca Marini/Alex Marquez, Marc Marquez/Valentino Rossi, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 51





	hook you with a brand new high

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in two days - I've been focused on finished my magnus opus in the F1 fandom, and now it is finally finished, I can turn my hand back towards writing these gays. This was originally intended to be a Marc/Vale fic, but I figured the concept of hiding the relationship worked better for Alex/Luca and I've never written an entire fic about them. I also had lots of fun putting in the parts about the Academy boys. This is set around 2016, but there's no definite timeline to it. Title comes from Fun by Pitbull ft Chris Brown. 
> 
> Thank you as always to J, my best friend.

The first rule in the ranch was that you don’t talk about Marc - in fact, any mention of the Márquez name was forbidden. Most of the riders had no problems with upholding the rules set forward by Valentino, they all figured that it was because of Argentina, or the fact that their boss was denied his tenth championship by the man. Luca knew better than that - he knew about the history between Marc and his brother. He had watched them dance around each other when Marc had first moved up into MotoGP, watched as Marc’s hero worship became something else. He remembers the night that Marc was invited to the ranch. The night that they slept together for the first time, the night that his brother had taken Marc’s virginity. He had watched as they had hidden their relationship from everyone, even Uccio wasn’t aware of who Valentino was taking to bed every night. He could only stand silently as Argentina had destroyed them completely, and he remembers how his brother had come to him that evening with tears falling down his cheeks, he had slumped wordlessly against Luca and broke. After that, it was as though Marc never existed - the photos disappeared, the videos vanished, any mention of his name was met with a glare from Valentino.   
  
Luca had told himself that he would never fall in love, but he did. He never meant to, but his mother had always said that love finds you, even when you aren’t looking for it. It was in the heat of Mugello a year after Valentino had lost his title to Jorge. He and Alex had collided, and he never managed to get back on his bike. He was surprised when there was a knock on his door after the race and Alex was standing in the doorway, his teeth caught between his lip.   
  
“Can I come in?” He had asked, and Luca knew he should have said no but he allowed the Spaniard into his motorhome.   
  
He remembers Alex standing awkwardly, glancing around as though he was in enemy territory. “I wanted to apologise. I don’t want us to be like our brothers,”   
  
Luca had accepted the apology and he’d ended up asking Alex to stay for a beer or two. At first, he’s not sure if it’s the liquid courage or just the way that Alex looks at him with his big hazel eyes, but they end up kissing on the couch, Alex’s hand slowly tracing up Luca’s thigh. They pull apart after a moment, wide blue eyes staring into hazel, lips still shiny and swollen. 

* * *

  
After that, they couldn’t stay away from each other - it becomes somewhat of a dirty secret, even after Marc and Valentino buried the hatchet in Barcelona with a handshake. They meet up wherever they could, in Luca’s motorhome - it was easier as he and Marc shared - around the back of the garages, after parties in the bathroom - wherever they could snatch a few moments together. Despite how careful the couple are, it was inevitable that someone would catch them.   
  
“Luca, are you here? Vale asked me to find you-” The voice stops, as brown eyes take in the sight of Luca half naked, with a shirtless Alex Márquez on top of him.   
  
“Franky-” Luca begins, feeling his cheeks turn bright red at the sight of Alex’s teammate staring them both down.   
  
Franky looks somewhat embarrassed as he backs away from the pair, trying to avert his eyes. “I’m sorry,” He murmurs out. “I’ll tell him that you’re still in a meeting,” He all but runs out of the motorhome, the door slamming shut behind him.   
  
“Are you okay?” Alex murmurs softly, his hand slowly moving over Luca’s face.   
  
“What if he tells Vale about us?” Luca keeps his eyes downcast as he fiddles with his belt. “What if he-”   
  
Alex’s hands fold over Luca’s, stilling the movement of his fingers and the younger man looks up into dark hazel eyes. “Franky won’t say anything, I’m sure. He’s one of the good guys,”   
  
Alex’s words are comforting and calm, but Luca can’t shake off the sheer sense of panic as he continues to pull on his clothes, as though he’s putting on armour. “I’m sorry, we shouldn’t -” Luca murmurs, keeping his eyes fixed on the buttons of his shirt. “This was a mistake,”   
  
“Luca-” Alex begins but Luca ignores his pleas. “Luca, please, let's talk about this,”   
  
Luca shakes his head as he pulls on his hoodie, watching Alex’s eyes flicker over the VR46 etched into the front. “We can’t do this anymore, I’m sorry,”   
  
He can only watch as Alex wordlessly slides on his own t-shirt, fixing his clothing before he too leaves with a slam of the door, leaving Luca alone with only his thoughts for company, the bruise that Alex sucked into the side of his neck aches for hours afterwards. 

* * *

  
  
Franky doesn’t approach him until they’re back at the ranch a few days later. He’s not heard from Alex since that night despite texting him a few times asking if they can talk.   
  
“Luca,” Franky’s voice catches him off-guard and he glances up from the last message he sent to Alex, guilt spreading over his face.   
  
“Hey, you alright?”   
  
“I’m sorry for last weekend,” Franky says softly, his eyes flickering over to where Valentino is in a conversation with a few of the others. “I should have knocked-”   
  
Luca can feel his cheeks turn pink. “It’s f-fine. It was just sex anyways-”   
  
“We both know it was more than that, Maro,” Franky murmurs, his gaze moving back towards Luca. “You’re not like your brother. You don’t just have sex for the hell of it,”   
  
Luca bites back the response he wants to give, the one that automatically has his hackles raised whenever there’s any mention of comparison with Valentino. He loves his brother, but he hates constantly being held up to his standards. “It doesn’t matter anyway. It’s over now, he hates me,”   
  
Franky looks at him with something akin to pity in his eyes. “You should talk to him, he obviously cares about you,”   
  
Luca sighs heavily. “It would never work between us, if Vale found out-”   
  
“What’s he going to do? You’re an adult now, Luca. He can’t stop you from doing anything,”   
  
Luca opens his mouth and closes it again. Franky definitely has a point - Valentino has always supported Luca in everything he’s ever done, even allowing him and his last boyfriend to stay at the ranch, though he’s certain that Alex would not get the same treatment. “I don’t know-”   
  
“You need to stop focusing on Vale’s happiness and look after your own,” Franky says. “Call him,”   
  
Luca texts Alex later that night but his message again goes unanswered. 

* * *

  
He catches Alex at the next race. It’s fairly easy to shake off the bodyguard that Valentino assigned him, wearing a nondescript hoodie instead of the ones bearing the sponsors or his brother’s name all over them. It’s easy enough to ask Balda if he’s seen Alex, his fellow Italian pointing him in the direction of the garage. Luca manages to grab Alex as he’s walking towards his motorhome, catching the older man around the wrist and tugging him into a secluded corner.   
  
“What-” Alex begins, only for the mask to slide down over his features as he glances up at Luca. “What do you want?”   
  
“I want to talk,”   
  
“Aren’t you scared that your brother will find out?” Alex yanks his wrist back, his eyes look darker than usual. “I mean, you can’t be seen with a Márquez right?” His last name is all but spat out as though it’s a dirty word and Luca feels his heart wrench.   
  
“I’m sorry,” Luca says quietly. “I’m sorry for freaking out,” He pauses, licking his lips. “I was wrong, and I’m sorry. My brother doesn’t own me and he doesn’t have a say in who I want to date-”   
  
Alex raises an eyebrow. “Date?”   
  
Luca can feel his cheeks turn pink at the words but he nods. “Franky made me realise that I was putting Vale’s happiness above my own and if he doesn’t like it, I don’t care,”   
  
Alex is silent for a moment. “You mean it?” He asks, his eyes locked on Luca’s.   
  
“Yes,” Luca replies. “I want more, I want to bring you to the ranch, hold your hand and introduce you to everyone as my boyfriend,”

“I don’t know if we are at that stage yet,” Alex says quietly, the beginning of a smile on his lips. “I’m not asking you to show me off, I’m just asking you not to be dictated by your brother,”  
  
“And I won’t. I’m just not ready for him to know about us just yet,”   
  
“I understand,” Alex’s voice is soft. “Does he know that you’re-”   
  
“He knows I’m bisexual,” Luca replies. “I think he’s still hurt over Marc, that’s all,”   
  
Alex rolls his eyes. “They broke up over a year ago, you think he would get over it,”   
  
“Well, you know what my brother is like-”   
  
“Can we stop talking about our brothers? It’s such a boner killer,” Alex cuts him off, the smile growing larger. “Besides, we surely have better things to do,”   
  
Luca is about to reply when Alex leans in and kisses him. It’s not soft or gentle, it’s hurried and frantic. Alex tastes of sweat and mint and Luca can’t stop himself fisting his hands into the damp curls at the nape of Alex’s neck, eliciting a groan from his lips. He can feel Alex’s hands grip at his hoodie, pulling their bodies closer together as his tongue slowly brushes over the older man’s lips.   
  
“Luca-” Alex murmurs out as Luca deepens the kiss, their tongues tangling together as Luca tugs harder on Alex’s hair. “Luca, please,”   
  
Luca can feel his cock swell at the sound of Alex’s moans, merely moving against his lips as Alex’s hands fist tighter into his hoodie. He knows that they could be caught at any minute - the darkened corner of a garage isn’t the best place to hide - but he doesn’t care. His attention is only on Alex and how he tastes, how he responds eagerly to his kisses.   
  
Alex eventually pulls away, his lips still wet with saliva, his hazel eyes boring into Luca. “So,” He whispers between swollen lips. “What now?”   
  
“I’m not ready to tell my brother just yet,” Luca pauses. “But I suppose I could tell like Balda and some of the others,”   
  
Alex nods slowly, moving in for another kiss. “That sounds like a plan,” 

* * *

  
  
“Am I in trouble?” Balda glances around as he worries his lip, glancing at Luca. It was easy enough for Luca to ask his teammate for a quick word, but looking at the panic in Balda’s eyes, he wonders if he’s made a mistake. “Okay, okay,” Balda says.. “I was the one who stole Migno’s gloves, but it was Pecco’s idea-”  
  
Luca raises an eyebrow. “I’m not here to talk to you about that,”  
  
Balda sinks back into his chair in relief. “So what is it?”  
  
“So I got myself a new boyfriend,”  
  
“And what’s the problem with that? You’ve had boyfriends before,”  
  
Luca hesitates for a moment, before he figures he has nothing to lose in confiding in the older man. “Because it’s Alex Márquez,”  
  
Balda’s mouth falls open. “As in, Marc’s brother Alex?”  
  
“How many Márquez’s do you know, Balda?” Luca resists the urge to roll his eyes. “Yes, as in Marc’s brother,”  
  
Balda whistles under his breath. “Didn’t think he was your type,”  
  
“I don’t want Vale to know just yet,” Luca sighs.   
  
“But your brother kinda scares me, Luca,” Balda bites his lip. “And what if he finds out that I knew about this? What if he kicks me out of the academy? What if he murders me and nobody finds my body?”  
  
“He won’t do that,” Luca tries to soothe the older man’s fear. “I just need your help sometimes-”  
  
A dirty smile passes over Balda’s lips. “I get it. You want some _alone time_ with Romeo, right?”  
  
Luca feels his cheeks stain red at his fellow Italian’s statement. “Will you help me?” He tries to divert the attention away from his potential sex life.   
  
“Sure,” Balda replies, with a grin. “I’ll be a part of the get Luca laid club,”   
  
Luca resists the urge to throw something at his head. 

* * *

  
It works well enough to begin with - thankfully, Valentino is busy with his championship campaign, battling with both Jorge and Marc to notice. However, it isn’t long before he starts to notice the absence of his brother, especially around race weekends. He’s heading over to the garages after the Moto3 race in Assen, when he’s stopped in his tracks by Balda.   
  
“Where’s my brother?” He asks the younger rider. “I need to speak to him,”   
  
“He’s not here, I think he’s with Migno or Franky or someone-” Balda pastes on a smile, and gestures to the other side of the paddock.   
  
Valentino narrows his eyes. “You’re lying to me,”   
  
“No, I’m not,” Balda all but squeaks. “He’s with Migno,”   
  
“I have a built-in bullshit detector. Funnily enough, people called Lorenzo have a habit of lying to me,”   
  
“Are you referring to-” Balda begins, only to close his mouth when Valentino shoots him a look of venom. He’s starting to think that the new rule of not mentioning Jorge Lorenzo in front of the world champion is very much a _thing_ . He thought Pecco was joking about it, but clearly from the expression on Valentino’s face, any mention of the Majorcan is dangerous. “I-I’m not lying,” He forces the words out with another smile.   
  
Bright blue eyes stare him down. “You sure about that?”   
  
Balda nods once and Valentino sighs heavily, as he turns on his heel and heads to the other side of the paddock. The younger Italian watches the world champion stalk away before he whips out his phone.   
  
To: Luca   
_You owe me big time, lover boy._ _  
_ _  
_ As expected, Luca doesn’t reply, though Balda is certain that they’re tucked up in Alex’s motorhome which is at the opposite end of the paddock. He breathes a sigh of relief as he tucks away his phone. 

* * *

  
  
“Aren’t you going to get that?” Alex asks as Luca’s phone goes off for what seems like the hundredth time by the side of the bed. “What if it’s important?”   
  
“It’ll just be Vale, wondering where I am,” Luca mutters. “Just ignore it,” He smiles as he pulls Alex in for another kiss, his hands slowly dancing down underneath the seam of the Spaniard’s boxer shorts. Alex arches into the touch as Luca’s hands dip slightly lower, his hand curling around his lover’s aching hard dick -   
  
Luca’s phone goes off again and Alex sighs heavily, as he sinks into the pillows. “Just answer the damn phone,”   
  
Luca slowly pulls his hands away from Alex’s dick, and he leans over to grab the buzzing phone from the nightstand. “It’s my brother,”   
  
“You should answer it,” Alex says softly, as he glances up at his lover. “Otherwise, he’ll keep calling,”   
  
Luca sighs and answers the call. “Ciao, Vale,”   
  
“Where are you?” Vale’s question is curt.   
  
“With Balda,”   
  
Valentino hums. “In his garage?”   
  
“Yeah, we were going over the telemetry together from the race earlier,” Luca tries to keep his voice steady as possible, watching Alex’s dark eyes on him.   
  
There’s silence on the other end of the phone for a moment. “Okay, fine. I’ll speak to you later,”   
  
The dial tone blares out before Luca can reply. 

* * *

  
  
“You’ve been staring at your phone all evening, what’s wrong?” Uccio’s voice cuts through the silence and Valentino glances up from his phone. They’re having a quiet dinner somewhere on the outskirts of Groningen. It’s not the italian food that Valentino is used to back home, but it will do, and the restaurant is quiet enough for them not to be disturbed.   
  
“Luca’s hiding something from me,”   
  
Uccio looks up from his linguine in surprise. “What do you mean?”   
  
“He said he was with Balda earlier today, but he didn’t know that I’d seen him before I called him. Balda said he was with Migno,” Valentino says, glancing back at his phone. “Why would he lie?”   
  
“Maybe he was with a girl and he wanted some privacy,” Uccio shrugs. “You know what these young kids are like, race weekends get them horny,”   
  
Valentino shakes his head. “I know my brother. If it was some girl, he would have said so,”   
  
“Well, he’s growing up a little, maybe he wants to keep things private,”   
  
“He’s managed to lose his security guard at every race weekend so far,” Valentino twists his fork into his own pasta. “He’s hiding something from me, something he knows I wouldn’t approve of,”   
  
“Or someone,” Uccio jokes. “Maybe he’s hanging out with Márquez,”   
  
“He knows not to touch my things,”   
  
Uccio chokes on his water. “I thought - that it was over between you two,”   
  
“It is,” Valentino’s response is clipped and short. “I’ll find out what he is hiding,”   
  
Uccio knows not to press further and they continue their meal in silence. 

* * *

  
  
It’s been almost a month since he’s seen Alex and he’s thankful to shake off Valentino’s bodyguard and slip into Alex’s motorhome without being seen. Alex greets him with a soft kiss and Luca melts into it, his body falling against the slightly shorter Spaniard’s. Alex’s hands slowly move down his body, settling on his ass and pulling Luca closer. They find their way over to Alex’s bed, shedding clothes as they move - Luca’s t-shirt is pulled over his head as they break the kiss for a moment, his hands slowly moving to unbuckle Alex’s belt and push down his jeans.   
  
“I’ve missed you,” Alex murmurs between kisses, shedding Luca of his own trousers as they fall onto the bed, still half tangled together in a state of undress.   
  
Luca smiles as he pulls off Alex’s shirt, letting the cotton slide away from tanned skin. He can see the lighter coloured scars, evidence of Alex’s injuries dancing across his shoulders and the tops of his arms, and the older Spaniard shivers slightly as Luca traces over them with his fingers. “I’ve missed you too,” Luca whispers as he presses light kisses to Alex’s skin. “It drove me mad to be apart from you, was thinking about you the whole time I was at the ranch,”   
  
Alex smiles as he arches into Luca’s touch. “Oh really?”   
  
“Yeah,” Luca whispers, sucking a bruise into Alex’s skin. “All I was thinking about was what I was gonna do to you when I saw you,”   
  
“Luca-”   
  
Alex’s murmur is cut off by a harsh knock against the door. The two men stiffen against each other, as a familiar voice calls out. “Marc, are you in there?”   
  
“It’s Vale,” Luca whispers from underneath Alex, his eyes wide as he glances towards the door. “Why is he asking for Marc?”   
  
Alex shrugs. “We used to share a motorhome, but his is next to mine. Maybe he got them mixed up?”   
  
Their conversation is cut off by another knock at the door. “Marc, answer me,”   
  
Sighing heavily, Alex reluctantly wrenches himself away from Luca, only for the younger italian to grab his wrist to stop him. “Alex, what are you doing?”   
  
“I’m just going to tell him that he’s got the wrong motorhome, that’s all,” Alex whispers quietly as he grabs the nearest t-shirt and wrenches it on. It feels a bit looser than usual but he pays no mind to it as he leaves the bedroom and pulls the door open. Valentino is standing on the doorstep, his fist raised as though he’s ready to knock again and his eyes widen as he takes in the sight of Alex.   
  
“You’re not Marc,” He says quietly.   
  
Alex shakes his head. “Not last time I checked, he’s in that motorhome,” He points to the motorhome opposite his own.   
  
Valentino’s eyes flicker over to the other motorhome before they settle back on Alex. Silence settles over the two men for a moment before Alex shifts uncomfortably under the older man’s glare. “Was there anything else?”   
  
“No, no, I’ll find him later,” Valentino’s gaze finally meets Alex’s for a moment before he turns around and leaves the young Spaniard standing at the door. Alex watches him go, wondering what he was staring at. He glances down at his t-shirt, only to feel his chest turn to ice at the sight of the VR46 Academy logo stretched across his chest. 

* * *

  
  
Valentino stalks away from Alex’s motorhome with his thoughts spinning. He had gone there with the intention of speaking to Marc, not finding the dishevelled baby Márquez standing in front of him, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with his own name on it. He knows that there’s no way that it belongs to Alex himself, which means that somebody left it there - one of his own students. His first thought is Franky - it’s the most logical explanation as they are teammates but his mind starts to wander. Baby Márquez’s hair was standing on end and his lips were swollen when he answered the door. Valentino is certain that the meeting between him and whoever owned the t-shirt was a little more than friendly.   
  
He manages to corner his fellow Italian later that evening when they’re having a little get-together at Valentino’s motorhome. “I need to speak to you,”   
  
Franky raises an eyebrow but he allows himself to be pulled away from the rest of the group to a secluded corner. “What’s up?”   
  
“I know what you’re hiding,” Valentino whispers, his hand tightening around Franky’s bicep.   
  
There’s a flicker of something behind Franky’s dark eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,”   
  
“Stay away from Alex Márquez, Franco. You should know better than to get involved with that family,”   
  
“Well you’d know all about being intimate with that family, wouldn’t you?” Franky mutters, trying to wrench his arm away.   
  
Valentino pulls his arm tighter, furious at the younger man’s words. “I’d be careful,” He hisses. “You don’t want to find yourself out of the Academy now do you?”   
  
Franky’s eyes widen. “I haven’t spoken to Alex since Friday,”   
  
Valentino studies him for a moment, before he slowly releases his arm. He knows that Franky is telling the truth, he’s not one to lie. But he knows that if Franky is telling the truth, that it must be someone else. Franky wordlessly slips away, back to the others as Valentino leans against the side, watching over the people he has deemed part of his family. He immediately dismisses Pecco and Migno - he’s certain that the only thing that the former is interested in is motorbikes, and the latter has a girlfriend that he has met a few times. His eyes fall on Luca who is sitting in the middle of the group, smiling as he sips on his beer. He knows that his baby brother would never go near baby Márquez - he’s the only one who truly knows how much Marc had hurt him - which leaves -   
  
His eyes settle on the man sitting at Luca’s side. He never pegged Balda to like men, but it’s the only real option he has left. He watches carefully as he and Luca laugh together, the younger man downing the rest of his beer and he decides to wait. Valentino knows that his fellow italian’s tongue always loosens up after a few beers, and he just has to wait for the right opportunity to get him alone and get him to talk about Alex. He moves back over to the group of younger riders, keeping his eyes fixed on Balda as he opens up another beer.   
  
It’s not long before the alcohol begins to take effect on the younger man, and he’s soon giggling at something that Pecco said at the side of him, draining the dregs of yet another beer. Valentino finds his opportunity when Balda announces that he’s going to the bathroom, and it’s easy enough to follow the intoxicated Italian away from the loud group of people still joking and laughing. He catches Balda coming out of the toilet, a little unsteady on his feet.   
  
“May I have a word?” He tries to keep his voice as calm and low as possible.   
  
Balda nods with a smile. “Of course you can, boss,” He slurs out, swaying slightly from side to side. “You’ve got your big serious voice on,”   
  
“Are you seeing Alex Márquez?”   
  
Balda laughs. “That’s a good joke, Vale,”   
  
“I’m not joking, Balda. I know about you and him, I know that you were at his motorhome earlier today,”   
  
Balda shakes his head, giggling. “It wasn’t me, but I can’t tell you who it was,”   
  
“Why not?”   
  
“Because it’s a secret, and you would be mad if you found out,”   
  
Valentino can feel his patience slowly begin to dwindle. “Just tell me the truth, Lorenzo. You’re screwing Alex, aren’t you? Admit it,”   
  
“I’m not screwing Alex Márquez,” Balda slurs, shaking his head. “Luca would be mad if I did,”  
  
Valentino feels his heart drop at the younger man’s words - and everything falls into place. Luca’s ability to somehow get rid of the security that Valentino pays to follow his brother around, his lies about being with Balda at the last race, the t-shirt that Alex had been wearing when he opened the door - he barely remembers stalking away from Balda, his focus solely on the motorhome of the younger Márquez.

* * *

  
Alex barely gets the door open when Valentino grabs him by the front of his hoodie, forcing him up against the wall. “You’ve been fucking my brother,” He hisses, his fists tightening on Alex’s shirt.   
  
The younger man’s dark eyes widen. “I don’t know what you’re talking about-”   
  
“Don’t lie to me Márquez!” Valentino sneers. “I know that he was here earlier,”   
  
Alex remains silent, his teeth caught between his lip. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He murmurs again, trying to keep his eyes downcast.   
  
“You’re a liar, just like _him_ ,” Valentino spits. “Just admit that you’re fucking around with him just to get back at me-”   
  
Dark eyes slowly lift to meet Valentino’s blue ones, and he feels his heart ache at how alike Alex and Marc truly are. The sight of Alex’s angry gaze brings back memories that he would rather forget. “I’m not fucking with him to spite you. I have a life outside of my brother, you know. You should start doing the same for Luca-”   
  
“Don’t you dare lecture me on what you think I should do, Márquez,” Valentino pushes Alex up against the wall of the motorhome again, feeling the anger ripple through his bones. “I know my brother better than anyone,”   
  
“Yet you don’t know that he’s been seeing me for months,” Alex bites back. “I love him, and I’m not going to stop seeing him just because you say so,”   
  
“You need to stay away from Luca, Marquez. Or you’ll regret it,”   
  
“Vale!” Luca’s voice cuts through the tension and Valentino lifts his gaze away from the young Spaniard to see Luca standing in front of him. “Let go of him!”   
  
Valentino ignores his request, his hand still fisted into the front of Alex’s hoodie. “He’s poisoned you, Luca. That’s what his family does, you know our rules. We don’t associate ourselves with them-”   
  
“No,” Luca shakes his head. “You’re wrong,”   
  
“Am I? He’s just like his brother,” Valentino spits the last word as though it’s a curse.   
  
“Just because Marc broke your heart, it doesn’t mean that Alex will do the same to me,” He stops for a moment. “I’m not _you_ , Vale, and Alex isn’t Marc - so please let him go,”

“Vale, let him go,” Another voice calls out, and Luca and Valentino glance up to see Marc standing outside his own motorhome opposite, presumably drawn out by the noise. “Luca is right, they’re not us, they’re different,”  
  
“You knew about this?” Valentino sneers, his question directed at Marc. “Of course you knew, is there anything you two don’t share?”   
  
“They didn’t know that I knew,” Marc’s voice is calm. “I figured they’d tell me soon enough. Secrecy has never been Alex’s strong suit,” He exchanges a small smile with Luca. “Just, please, let him go. You know that you don’t force them to stay apart and Luca isn’t a kid anymore. You’re not his father, you have to let him go and experience love,”   
  
Silence fills the air.   
  
“Do you love him?” Valentino takes in the sight of his baby brother standing in front of him.   
  
“Yeah,” Luca whispers, worrying his lip. “Yes, I do love him,”   
  
Valentino turns his attention to Alex, still held against the side of his motorhome, his eyes on Luca. “And do you love him?”   
  
“Yes,” Alex’s eyes fix on Valentino’s as he answers without hesitation. “I love him,”   
  
Valentino slowly releases his hands from the front of Alex’s shirt, feeling slightly numb. “I’m sorry,”   
  
Luca moves towards him, his bright blue eyes, so much like Valentino’s own, flicker between him and Alex. “Marc is right, you have to let me go to live my life, you can’t keep me away from who I love,”   
  
“I know,” Valentino murmurs softly. “I just still see you as my baby brother,”   
  
“But I’m not a little kid anymore, Vale,” Luca’s voice is equally gentle. “You have to let me go and live my life,”   
  
Valentino nods, feeling the dampness in the corners of his eyes. “I know, I am sorry for not being supportive,”   
  
Luca steps forward and envelopes him into a hug. It’s strange really, Valentino had always dreamt of having a brother closer in age, to some extent Uccio had filled that brief when they were kids. There was an eighteen year age gap between himself and Luca - he had won his first 125cc championship when Luca was a few months old. They never had the closeness that is forged when siblings are of a similar age, but Valentino still remembers glancing down at the bundle of blankets and swearing that he would protect his baby brother, as he had done when Clara was born a few years before. He pulls away from Luca after what seems like minutes, ruffling the long blonde strands of hair. “I love you, bro,”   
  
“Don’t mess up my hair,” Luca whines, pulling himself away.   
  
Valentino slowly moves towards Alex who has been watching the exchange silently and offers his hand. “Truce?” He offers and the younger man takes his hand with a small smile.   
  
“Truce,” He says as they shake hands.   
  
“And I am warning you now, if you break his heart, I will kick your ass,” Valentino says quietly, smiling as Alex’s eyes widen and he nods before he drops Valentino’s hand. “Now you two get out of here, before I change my mind,”   
  
The young couple do not need any prompting, and Valentino watches as Luca curls his arm around Alex’s shoulder, pulling him close and pressing a light gentle kiss to his cheek. He swears that Luca mouths the words thank you as the pair leave, Alex’s head turned into Luca’s shoulder and his heart _aches_ . He misses having what they have, he misses holding someone close and having their body melt against his own -   
  
“They’re good together, aren’t they?” Marc’s voice cuts through his thoughts and he glances up into dark brown eyes. He had forgotten the Spaniard was still there.   
  
“Y-yeah, I guess,” Valentino murmurs out.   
  
Silence stretches out for a moment before it’s inevitably broken by Marc. “I think they’re more like us than we pretended they were, I mean, I can’t deny that Luca has good taste-”   
  
“Well, I hope they’re not exactly like us,” Valentino murmurs. “We never could make it work,”   
  
Marc hums softly under his breath and the silence threatens to engulf them again, as Valentino feels a warmth enclose over his hand. He startles at the sensation and glances down to see Marc’s hand clasping his own. “Maybe we could,” Marc whispers. “If you want to try,”   
  
Valentino squeezes Marc’s hand back, a small smile finding itself on his lips. “I’d like that,” 


End file.
